Automatic switch.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

HORACE H. DOLL AND MERRILL II. BOSTIAN, OFOAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 703,561, dated July 1, 1902.

application filed March 27,1901. Serial No/ 53,146. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that we, HORACE H. DOLL in Automatic Switches,'of which the following is a full, clearyand exact specification, reference beinghad to the'accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

Our invention relates to certain improvements in railway-switches of that class de-' improved switch of this character in which the switch may be operated from the car and locked in position during the travel of the car or cars over theswitch and thenautomatically returned to the original position after the car or cars have left the same,ias more fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure l is a plan view of an automatic switch constructed and arranged in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail of a hand operating-lever which may be employed to operate the switch. Fig. iis an elevation of a car-truck carrying switch operating shoes in accordance with theinvention, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the switchoperating,

shoes detached. V

In the drawings is illustrated an open main track A, the rails of a side leading to the switch. On the ties, at, the sides of the rails, are secured plates at 0. a a arranged in pairs, the plates a a beingoutside the siding-rails. On these plates respectively are pivoted levers C O C 0, having curved faces close to the outer edges of the rails for contact with the switching-shoes B," carried by the trucks 0.

The trucks 0, or, as the case may be, the for Ward end of the engine orthe platform of the car, are provided with'shoes B, having shanks a, guided insuitable vertical bearings on the cars and normally held in an elevated position by springs of or any equivalent means, their depression to operative position being effected by any engine-driver or motorman.

The needle or switch points B B are of the usual type, and both are secured to a transverse bar N, the movement of which and MERRILL H. BosTIAN, citizens of the United clears either the main or the siding rails.

This bar N- issecured at one end'to a T- shaped lever K, fulcrumed at, the center of its't-hree armsto a base-plate at, The main arm is of this lever is connected to a' leverJ, which may be moved by hand toshift the switch, the-lever being locked bystops j on a quadrant j in either the open'or closed position, as shown in Fig. 3. This'lever K is also operated upon by a spring so as to keep it in the position shown in Fig. 1, the spring being guidedby a bolt Z, connected to a bracket N on the base-plate 00, said bracket being adjustable on said base-plate to increase or decrease the pressure of the-spring. I Extending from the lever O to the arm is of lever K are a series of levers and connecting-bars, (indicated by theletters D, E, F, G, H, I',--H and 1 the arrangement being such that when the shoe B on the oncurving car presses against the lever O the lever K will be moved against the action of the spring L and move the bar N to open the switch to the siding-rails. The lever C is connected to the lever K through the medium of the lever D 'and its coacting bars for a similar purpose as the lever O.

' On the switch-rails the lever C is connected tolever K by levers and connecting-bars D said lev'er'K by levers and barsD E -F the latter being connected to the bar-G Thev result of the various connections is such that when a car, with its shoe B depressed, approaches one or other of the levers C 0 0 0 the lever K will be moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 tofchange the switch-points B"B and open communication between the mainline and the siding.

"The switch-bar N is secured to or formed integral with abar N having its outer end guided in a frameR, provided with openings for the reception'of locking-pins s, which may enter into a suitable opening in the bar N and lock the same to keep the'switcheither open or closed during the passage of a car or cars. This locking-rail U extends par allel with and outside of the curved rail of the siding from points opposite the levers 0 C its upper edge being a trifle above the level of the load-rail, so that it may be acted upon by the wheels. The rail Uhas pins or trunnions W, adapted to coact with curved slots to in plates V, secured to permanent bases, and this rail is connected by a lug T, rod 0 bell-crank lever P, and rod 0 to one arm of the main operating-lever K, the connection being such that the locking-rail is moved backward or forward at each movement of the switch-lever.

To lugs V V on the locking-rail are pivoted arms Z Z respectively, forming universal joints for the attachment of the spring locking-pins s, the movement of the rail withdrawing one or other of such pins from engagement with the bar N The operation of the device is as follows: If the parts be in the normal position, as in Fig. 1, with the main-line rails open and a car or train approaching on the main line wishes to take the siding or a car or train on the siding wishes to take the main line, the engineer or motorman depresses the shoe B. This shoe then comes into contact with one or other of the levers 0, C C or C and through the intervening levers previously described operates on lever K and switchbar N to open the switch to the siding. This movement also shifts the locking-rail and causes one or other of the pins 8 to lock the switch in the position to which it is adjusted. The car or train then enters upon and depresses the locking-rail, holding the same in its locking position until the last wheel of the car or train has left it. The spring L then acts to cause all the parts to reassume their normal positions, leaving the main line again open for traific.

The device is admirably adapted for streetrailways and especially electrical railways in rural districts where single lines are used and cars must pass each other on sidings, but it may be used in any capacity on street, electric, or steam railways, as desired.

The invention may be modified in a variety of ways and the number and arrangement of levers and operating devices increased or diminished without departing from our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In an automatic switch, the combination with the main and siding rails, and a movable locking-rail on one of said siding-rails, of a lever, a switch-bar pivotally connected thereto, and spring-actuated pins arranged on opposite sides of the switch-bar, the pins being also pivoted to the said locking-bar to permit of a longitudinal movement of the same and to lock said bar, and means for actuating said lever whereby the switch may be shifted and locked in its shifted position, substantially as specified.

2. In an automatic switch, the combination with the main and siding rails, of a lever, a switch-bar pivotally connected to said lever, and actuated thereby, locking-apertures in said bar, a locking-rail mounted upon oneof the siding-rails and having an operating connection with said spring-actuated lever, locking-pins pivotally connected with said locking rail and located upon opposite sides of the switch-bar, said pins designed to enter the locking-apertures of said bar to lock the same and means for operating said lever whereby the switch may be shifted and locked in its shifted position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I HORACE H. DOLL. [L. s.] MERRILL H. BOSTIAN. [L. s] Witnesses:

JAMES D. CHESTER, ROY E. GEARHART. 

